Condiment-holder.



J. EDWARDS.

CONDIMENT HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1. 1916.

1,226,759. Patented May 22, 1917.

23 2! l8 l6 l4 l l5 l6 a 23 22 a x 21' f 2-2 4 I I0 [J I II [a l/ p;- l5

.part apparent and in part described as th JOHN EDWARDS, 0F FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA.

conmirnnr-nonnnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed October r, 1916. Serial No. 124,238.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN EDW s, a citizen of Norway, residing at Flagstafl, in the county of Goconino and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Condiment-Holders, of

rnent holder of the class stated which can be conveniently refilled when empty or the contents of which can be readily emptied and other condiments substituted.

Other objects and advantages will be in description is proceeded with.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l-is a vertical sectional view of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the-. top p n;- Fig. 3 is a' detail perspective viewof the fixed perforated plate;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the sliding plate, and

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the connecting rod.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, 1 denotes as a whole a condiment holder or receptacle of any convenient shape and material but preferably constructed of a material that does not rust or corrode. In the embodiment illustrated, the receptacle 1 comprises salt and pepper containers 2 and 3 connected at their upper ends in any suitable and convenient manner to top frame 4, which in turn is secured to and supported by a depending division wall 5. The containers 2 and 3, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2 are fashioned after the conventional .octagonal or hexagonal salt or pepper shaker but it is obvious that variously shaped containers may be employed to correspond to any particular shape of division'wall and top frame.

l-Iingedly connected t the top frame as at 6 1s a dome shaped cover 7 the curved converging walls of which terminate in the centrally. located discharge opening 8.

y suitable snap fastener such as 9 maybe employed to lock the cover to the top frame when the former is in closed position.

A plate 10 suitably secured to the cover and lying within the confines of the frame rests upon the tops of the containers 2 and 3, the perforated portions 11 of said plate being directly over the open months (not shown) of the. containers. It will be observed that the longitudinal side edges of the plate 10 are formed with inwardly bent flanges 12 which serve as guide-ways for v a pair of perforated sliding plates 13 normally lying in superimposed position upon the perforated portions of plate 10. The perforations 11 and 14 in-the respective plates are normally out of alinementbut means is provided for moving them into register so that a flow of. salt or pepper or of both salt and pepper may be obtained at the will of the operator. This desideratum is effected by the following construction and arrangement of mechanism. Y

The outer side edges of the sliding plates 13 are formed with upstandingflanges 15 having depleted or notched portions as at 16 intermediate their ends toreceive a connecting rod 17. The hooked ends 18 of this rod extend through and slightly beyond the notched portions 16 in position to engage the outer face of the flange. A coil spring 19 encircling the rod 1'? engages the flanges 15 with its opposite ends thus normally tending to force the plates 14 apart, this movement of the plates being limited by struck up portions or stops 20, formed on the plate 10, adjacent the ends thereof. Substantially U shaped push buttons 21 comprising a head 22 and legs 23 are held upon the ends of the rod 17 partially by reason of their own resiliency and by the offset ends 24 of the legs 23 engaging the inner faces of the stops 20. The offset ends 241 also serve as bearing surfaces for engaging the flanges 15 when the push buttons are actuated.

From the foregoing the operation of the invention will be readily understood but may be briefly described as follows.

When the user desires to obtain either saltor pepper he will push one or the other of the buttons 21', which may be appropriately labeled, thus causing the corresponding plate 13 to move inwardly against the tension of spring 19 until the perforations 11 and 14 are in register. The receptacle 1 is then inverted and shaken if necessary to produce a flow from the containers 2 and 3 into the dome shaped cover and out through discharge opening 8'. If both salt and peper are desired the uservwill of course push 0th buttons. Immediately the buttons are released the spring 19 automatically returns the plates 13 to their normal position.

As many changes could be made in the' above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of 'my invention, Within the scope of the claim constructed Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention: What I claim is: 7 A condiment holder comprlsing a plurality of open-mouth containers, a top frame for connecting said containers, a domeshaped cover hinged to said frame provided with a central discharge opening,'a perforated plate carried by said cover overlying the mouths of the containers, a pair of perfor'ated plates having upturned flanges slidably mounted upon said first-mentioned plate, a rod connecting said sliding plates, a coil spring on said rod hearing at its ends against the upturned flanges'on said sliding plates and normally holding the plates in position to obstruct the openings in the firstmentioned plate, and push buttons on the opposite ends of said rod and engaging the flanges on the sliding plates for moving same to uncover the openings in the perforated plate.

In testimony'whereof I hereby afii'x my signature. q

JOHN EDWARDS. Witnesses:

SAML. F. Quay, THos. J. EAKINS'. 

